January 1st
New Year’s Day started like most of my days no matter where I am —with a morning walk, of course. I followed my usual route through the neighborhood, catching glimpses of the Río Negro through the trees before heading home absolutely drenched in sweat with the temperature already climbing past 90°F.
Lunch was a laid-back in the quincho, featuring—you guessed it—asado and all the leftovers from the night before. The scorching afternoon heat made it the perfect day for a siesta, so we all retreated to our rooms to rest. Siesta culture is much more noticeable in places like Chaco, where the midday heat makes it nearly impossible to keep going. With businesses closed and the streets quiet, the afternoon break is practically mandatory—and honestly, it is pretty nice to have that built-in time to slow down.
In the evening, I FaceTimed my best friend Taylor to catch up on all the holiday happenings. I stepped outside and was surprised to see a beautiful sunset rainbow, and wrapped up the evening sitting around the table with the whole family, eating, chatting, and soaking it all in. Ending the day feeling especially grateful and full of love—not a bad way to start the new year.
